What do “The Hunger Games,” “Star Wars” and “Game of Thrones” have in common? They’re all examples of stories with memorable imaginary worlds, complete with fully-realized civilizations, cultures, environments and technology. Each of these worlds has inspired millions of fans across the globe.

Do you want to learn how authors build a world that ignites our imaginations? Colorado State University Libraries is hosting a writing workshop on April 21 from 2-3 p.m. at Morgan Library. Attendees can sign up on the Libraries’ website.

“An author’s job is to animate what the reader sees and reveal what’s hidden beneath the surface,” says Eliana Meyer, workshop instructor and CSU Libraries’ writer-in-residence. “I think genre and non-genre writers each have their own definition of what world-building looks like. What we’ll do in the workshop is reframe world-building as something more nuanced than just mapping out the generic landscape of what the characters and audience see.”

Participants will engage with writing prompts that help reimagine and redefine what world-building looks like in their writing. Participants will think about topics such as the role of perception, the secrets people hide, and how or when environments or surroundings might react when a character is unable to.

The workshop is the capstone event for Meyer’s academic-year residency, during which she has championed students’ creative artistry and well-being. Meyer has hosted author salons for the Creative Writing Reading Series, curated a dozen book displays at Morgan Library, and coordinated creative events like a coloring contest for students.

The writer-in-residence program is a collaboration between the CSU Libraries and the Creative Writing program in the College of Liberal Arts.